Dawn Braid has joined the Arizona Coyotes, becoming the first full-time female coach in NHL history.

Braid will work as the team’s new skating coach, an area she has specialized in and worked as a consultant with NHL teams such as the Toronto Maple Leafs, Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres and Calgary Flames.

“It’s something that I’ve wanted to see happen,” she said. “The fact that they respect what I do enough to name me as a full-time coach, or to name me as the first female coach in the NHL, I take a ton of pride in that. I’ve worked very hard for this opportunity. It’s been going on for years and I just look forward to going even further with it.”

Before her initial foray into the NHL Braid worked at Athletes Training Center, where she helped train a number of high-profile NHL players such as the New York Islanders’ captain, John Tavares.

This historical hiring comes after other major sporting organisations in North America have become more open to female coaches, with both the NFL and NBA now having female coaches and assistants.

Braid’s hiring will hopefully open the door for many more female coaches hoping to work within professional hockey and will see the NHL take a firm step in the right direction.